Adjustable transplanter elements



Oct. 4, 1955 A. A. GOOLSB ADJUSTABLE TRANSPLANTER ELEMENTS l m h mm. m m M o M Cw U: M 9 s k W m w 1 3 my 6 Mr n M u w A Filed Oct. 1'7, 1952 Oct. 4, 1955 A. A. GOOLSBY ADJUSTABLE TRANSPLANTER ELEMENTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1'7, 1952 II I A/fian A. Goa/shy INVENTOR.

BY an! A. A. GOOLSBY ADJUSTABLE 'FRANSILAN'IER ELEMENTS Oct. 4, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 17. 1952 Al/fon A, Goo/shy INVENTOR.

BY wfiwqfim United States Patent 2,719,498 ADJUSTABLE TRANSPLANTER ELEMENTS Aliton A. Goolsby, Cameron, N. C. Application October 17, 1952, Serial No. 315,285 1 Claim. (Cl. 11169) An important object of the present invention is to provide a planter attachment for tractors involving a soil penetrating sword, a pair of packing wheels disposed behind the sword and novel and improved adjusting means for the sword and packing wheels whereby the same may be adjusted to a desired depth.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a planter attachment for tractors capable of simultaneously producing two trenches so that two rows of plants may be set at a time.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention operatively connected to the lift mechanism of a tractor;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present invention taken substantially on the plane of section line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Figure 1 illustrating the sword mounting and raising means;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the upstanding draw bars in a manner in which the water tank is applied thereto;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure l; t

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 6--6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tube holder used in conjunction with the present invention and showing a vertical tube secured thereto;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the tank mount and the vertical draw bars to which the same is secured;

Figure 9 is a plan view of Figure 8 and showing the vertical draw bars attached to sword supports;

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of Figure 1 to show the manner in which the draw bars are operatively connected to the planter frame;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the rear portion of the planter frame and showing the manner in which seats are applied to the frame;

Figure 12 is an enlargedvertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 12-12 of Figure 1 to show the manner in which outlet of the tank is connected to the dispensing tubes.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 represents a wheeled frame including a forward transverse channel beam 12 and a rear transverse channel beam 14. Frame 10 is hitched to a tractor T by draw bars 16 that are attached to a point underneath and in front of the rear axle of tractor T and bars 18 which are attached to the lift mechanism L of the tractor. Bars 18 are fastened to channel beam 12 by means of pins 20 that enter rigid cars 22 welded to beam 12.

When the tractor lift is operated to its raised position, it will lift up on the bars 18 and the frame hinges on pins 20 and stop-nuts 23, on bolts 24, pivoted to frame 10, go back against stops 26, fixed to bars 18, so that Patented Oct. 4, 1955 bars 18 will remain substantially vertical during the raising of the frame 10.

Forward and rear wheels 28 and 30 constitute the supporting means for the frame 10. The axle 32 for the forward wheels 28 is supported by brackets 34 on the central longitudinal beams 36 of the frame 10. The rear ends of the brackets 34 are pivoted to the beams 36 for vertical swinging movement and the forward ends "ice of the brackets 34 are slotted and extend across verticalbars 38 fixed to the beam 12. Bolts 40 extend through the forward slotted ends of the brackets 34 and through one aperture of a series of vertically spaced apertures 42 in the bars 38 to adjust the brackets 34 about their pivoted rear ends for the purpose of selectively raising or lowering the forward Wheels relative to the frame 10.

The rear ends of center beams 36 fixedly support upstanding angle iron posts 44 each of which is provided with a series of vertically spaced apertures 46. Axle supporting arms 48 are pivoted at their forward ends to the lower ends of posts 44 and the rear ends of the arms 48 support an axle 50 for the wheels 30. Adjusting arms 52 are pivoted on the ends of axle 50 and their forward ends are apertured to receive pins or bolts 54 extending through selected apertures 46 to retain the wheels 30 selectively raised or lowered with respect to the frame 10. The vertically disposed angle iron bars 56 are fixed to the beam 12 and the upper ends of these bars are pivoted to the bolts 24. The lower ends of bars 56 support horizontal pivot pins 58 that extend through the forward ends of swords 60. The sides of the swords 60 are fastened to plate 62 that fixedly support angle irons 64. The forward ends of the angle irons 64 and the plates 62 are hingedly received upon the pins 58.

The angulated lower ends 66 of vertical rods 68 extend through apertures in the rear ends of the angle irons 64 and are held thereon by cotter pins or the like carried by ends 66. The pins 58 also swingably support the forward ends of strap irons or arms '70 whose rear ends carry packing wheels 72 which are located on opposite sides of swords 60. The angle brackets 74 are fixed to intermediate portions of arms 70 and are apertured to receive the rods 68.

Abutment nuts 76 are threaded on the upper ends portions of the rod 68 and form abutments for the upper ends of coil springs 78 that embrace the rod 68. The lower ends of the springs 78 rest against the brackets 74 to urge the arms 70 downwardly in a manner presently to be described.

Bars 56 are rigidly connected to post 80 fixed to the beam 14 by cross-straps 82. Plates 84 are fixed to the cross-straps 82 and are provided with upper toothed arcuate edges 86. Vertically swingable levers 88 are pivoted to the plates 84 and slidably support spring urged dogs 90 that will engage between selected adjacent teeth 7 of arcuate edges 86 to retain levers adjusted about their pivots.

A pair of curved arms 92 are fixed to the lower end of each lever 88 and pivotally support nuts 94 into which the upper ends of the rods 68 are threaded so that as the levers 88 are swung the two rods 68 attached thereto will be selectively raised or lowered to effect a corresponding movement of the sword 60 and packing wheels 72.

Bars 56 are pivoted, as at 96, to the rear ends of supports 98 for the V-shaped depth gages 100 which are located in front of the swords 60. These supports 98 extend across the supports 102 for disk coulters 104 and carry bolts 106 that will extend through selected vertically spaced apertures 108 in the supports 102 to adjust supports 98 about their pivots 96. The disk coulters 104 are straddled by the gages 100 and the supports 102 of the coulters 104 are provided with vertically spaced apertures 110 for selectively receiving bolts 112 that are secured to the beam 12. In this manner, the coulters 104 may be vertically adjusted independently of the gages 100 or with the gages 100.

, Two pairof back-to-back angle iron guides 114 are fixed to the beam 14 over the swords 60 and their forward joined ends are apertured as at 115, to receive the pins 58. Each pair of guides 114 supports a guide strip 116 on which a tube holding bar or arm 118 is slidably supported. A vertical plate 120 is disposed behind the rear end of each arm 118 and is fixed thereto by curved wire lengths 122 terminally welded to plates 120 and arms 118. A vertical dispensing tube 124 is welded to the front face of each plate 120 and the upper ends of the tubes are connected by flexible conduits 126 to T- fitting 128 extending from a tank 129 that is supported on I a mount 130 suitably fixed and braced to draw bars 18.

Valves 132 in the :fitting 128 will permit controlled flow of water from the tank into the conduits 126. A strainer 134 is disposed in the tank over the fitting 128, as shown in Figure 12, and is secured against the bottom wall of the tank and to the fitting as shown in this figure.

Means is provided for reciprocating the arms 118 so that the tubes 124 will move toward and away from the packing wheels 72. This means comprises a horizontal transverse shaft 136 that is rotatably supported in bearings 138 on the center beams 36. A sprocket 140 fixed on shaft 136 is connected to a sprocket 142 fixed n axle 32 by an endless sprocket chain 144, so the shaft 136 will rotate during movement of the forward ground wheels 28.

Cams 146 in the form of laterally projecting roller supporting arms are fixedly secured to the shaft 136 and will ride against the abutment flanges 148 at the forward ends of the arms 118 to move the arms 118 rearwardly against the action of coil springs 150 terminally attached to the strips 116 and tubes 124.

Posts 44 support a horizontal rail 152 to which side seats 156 and a center seat 157 are suitably secured. The seats 156 are each capable of supporting a single person whereas the seat 157 is capable of supporting two persons.

The fastening means F and F securing each of the planter units to the frame and more particularly channel beams 12 and 14 may be extended through selected longitudinally spaced apertures in the beams 12, 14 in order that the two units may be adjusted selectively toward and away from each other for the purpose of varying the distance between adjacent rows.

In practical use of the present invention, the forward and rear wheels 28, 30 are first vertically adjusted to position the frame at a predetermined distance from the surface of the ground. This adjustment will limit the penetration of the swords 60 until the levers 88 are actuated in order to increase or decrease the penetration of the swords 60. The nuts 76 are vertically adjusted so that the springs 78 will yieldingly urge the swords 60 and the packing wheels 72 against the ground.

The supports 102, 98, are also vertically adjusted so that the depth gages 100 will part the top of the soil to a desired depth while the disk coulters 104 will cut through any vegetation in the soil in front of the swords 60, thereby eliminating vegetation from clogging or dragging on the swords 60.

The plants are evenly spaced by persons, two to each row, holding the root of the plant in the trenches made by the swords 60, and in so doing, placing the hand with the plant against the plate 120 while they are in their forward position. 7

The plates 120 will then hold the persons hand at the same ground position until the soil, being pressed into the trench by packing wheels 72, catches the root of the plant. All the time the planters hand is held in this position, water is pouring out of the dispensing tubes 124 where the plants are to be set. As the cams 146 rele ses the fl nges 14. plates 1.20, dispensing u es 1.24

v and arms 118 are pulled to their forward position by the coil springs 150.

To space plants evenly, each plant has to be set in the ground at exactly the right time, the movement of the arms 118 automatically places the persons hand holding the plant, near enough to the packing wheels 72, that the soil pressed by these packing wheels catches the root of the plant, thereby setting it. Different spacing of the plants may be obtained by difierent size sprockets being placed on shaft 136. There is a constant stream of water supplied to trench left by swords 60 but there ill b more Water supplied where the plant is to be set due to reciprocating of the arms 118.

It should be noted that the tractor hydraulic system exerts no downward pressure on the planter. The weight of the planter and the operators on it hold the planter to the ground when the lift is released. The hydraulic cylinder on this type of lift, when released, has means that will allow the lift arm to Work up or down freely. This will allow bar 18 and the front end of planter to move up or down sufliciently that wheels 28 will stay in firm contact with; the ground, even if the surface of the ground is uneven. Should the lift mechanisnr L be a link chain, the planter would work in the same manner to provide a hinging action at pin 20 and bolt 24 would slip in the hole in stop 26, whereby wheels 28 and 30 will remain on the ground under average conditions. Downward movement of wheels 30 is limited by the position of nuts 23 on bolts 24.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is;

A transplanter comprising a wheeled frame having means for attaching the same to a tractor, a vertically swingable sword having a forward end pivoted to the frame, a pair of spaced parallel bars having forward ends engaged with the pivot of the sword, said bars receiving the sword therebetween, a packing wheel carried by the rear end of each bar and disposed behind the sword, adjusting means connecting the bars and the sword to the frame to simultaneously adjust the sword and bars about the pivot of the sword, said adjusting means comprising a vertical plate fixed to the frame and having an upper arcuate toothed edge, an adjusting lever pivoted to the plate for vertical swinging movement, a spring urged locking dog slidably carried by the lever and engageable between a selected pair of teeth of said toothed edge to retain the lever adjusted about its pivot, a pair of angle irons fixed to said sword and disposed along side of said sword and said bars, a pair of vertical rods having lower ends attached to said bars and said angle irons, a pair of arms fixed to and projecting laterally from the pivoted end of said lever, a sleeve pivoted to each arm, the upper ends of said rods being threaded in said sleeves, an abutment threaded on each rod, and

, coil springs about the rods and biased between the abutments and the bars to urge the sword and bars downwardly about the pivot for the sword.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 342,637 Ross May 25, 1886 473,324 Lindgren Apr. 19, 1892 518,657 Whitworth Apr. 24, 1894 520,477 Bemis May 29, 1894 520,478 Bemis May 29, 1894 523,800 Unger July 31, 1894 586,867 Pritchard July 20, 1897 654,125 Beall July 24, 1900 1,073,702 Owens Sept. 23, 1913 1,267,713 Thompson May 28, 1918 1,806,622 Gibbens May 26, 1931 2,372,474 Cox Mar. 27, 1945 2,534,798 Schneider Dec. 19, 1950 2,584,012 Grifiin Jan. 29, 1952 2,601,834 .Carter July 1, 1952 

